Over the Horizon
by somethingblu
Summary: Sometimes even the best love ends... and when you move on you find happiness again. Jacob isn't a replacement. He's a choice... and Bella chooses him.
1. Chapter 1

I just wanted to see if I would finish this... and it's going okay. This is for a friend I once said I would write a fanfiction for. Not my favorite pairing... but I kinda liked writing this at the time.

This picks up on the plane ride back from Italy, with Bella thinking about Jacob and Edward. I'm a bit OOC sometimes... and I didn't go back and check details... sorry.

* * *

Bella looked out the window of the airplane. She was tired, she had to admit that, but she couldn't stop thinking. Her mind raced with how she was going to tell Edward the truth. Yet, she knew that the words didn't matter, the truth was awful any which way. Though she'd gone to save him, she wasn't in love with Edward the way that he wanted her to be, the way that she wished she could be. She had always been in love with Jacob.

The words of Jacob still echoed through her mind... She could hear it again as if the scene were unfolding again.

'Bella, _I'm begging you, please, stay for Charlie... stay for me._' He'd been on knees leaning into the car while Alice was waiting to drive away and save Edward.

The love and pain in his eyes had told her what she'd known since Edward left. Jacob would never leave her, he would never harm her. She looked over Alice's arms and said what she knew would hurt a lot of people but was only the truth, a truth that she couldn't avoid. _'I'm coming back to you Jacob, but I won't let him die because someone else was stupid.'_

Bella had grabbed his hand, as the tears spilled from her eyes... as now they were misting again. Frantically Bella wiped them away.

Edward, who was sitting between her and Alice, noticed her tears.

"Bella? What's wrong?" His velvet voice questioned.

His voice that once had so much effect on her didn't affect her as much as it used to. When his hand touched hers the coldness took her of guard. His hand felt so different from Jacob's. His black eyes bored into her, genuine concern lining them.

She looked up at him, aware again of where she was, what had just happened.

Most of all, his voice reminded her of all the pain that their relationship had caused, and that it was going to cause more.

She shook her head, unable to give him an answer. The words lodged in her throat. She wanted to be able to tell him anything. He knew more about her than anyone but Jacob, but somehow she couldn't bring herself to break him that way. She didn't want to see the pain behind the black eyes she knew so well. Even now, he was still beautiful, and it was the memory of their relationship that held her, motionless, staring into his eyes.

She turned her head away, avoiding the question. Edward's face twisted into a frown, and Bella couldn't help but notice that there was already a pain there. Glancing out the window again Bella tried to think of another time that would be better to tell him, but there wasn't one. Bella looked back toward Edward but caught the look in Alice's eyes instead. She knew that Alice had seen the future and knew that if she didn't tell Edward now she wouldn't until it would hurt him more. Even as it was, she wasn't sure that Edward would survive the news. Yet, he'd promised that he would go back to Forks, back to his family.

"When you left, I didn't think that I would live through the pain..." she began and immediately regretted the words.

Edward reached out to touch her face, "I know..."

He thumb stroked her face, a gesture that was supposed to comfort her but for the first time it didn't. There wasn't anything that was going to make this easier, but she could only tell the truth, so she pulled away from his touch.

"Edward... let me finish," Her words took him of guard enough that his hand pulled away.

"I started spending more time with Jacob. I learned things about him that I never knew before. He became my best friend, but it's so much more than that. It always has been. Somehow, ever since I was a little girl, I have always been in love with him, I just didn't know what it was. I don't want to hurt you, but I couldn't let you die because Rosalie made a mistake... I'm so sorry, Edward."

Edward's face changed abruptly as the words had come out of her mouth. She saw the Edward that she knew and cared about change in front of her eyes into something resembling the monster he believed he was. But she knew that even with his anger he would hurt her now.

But he couldn't keep his anger out of his words, "You should have just stayed in Forks. Let me die, I would have been out of your hair-"

Bella's eyes flared, too, at his words. She couldn't believe how quickly he had changed. It was like he wanted her to feel guilty about it, as if she didn't already. Hurting him was killing her inside, but she wouldn't lie. She had to be strong enough, because she wasn't the only one that loved Edward.

"But you would have been out of Carlisle's too; I couldn't live with myself if I knew that I was a part of that pain! I didn't try to kill myself. For so long, I was doing these dangerous things because I thought that was the only way that I could be happy, but it was the images of you that was keeping me from being happy. When Jacob is around I don't hurt, Edward..."

By the time the words trailed off, she realized how hopeless this all was. Even though her anger was gone she couldn't look at him. She couldn't bear to see the pain behind the purple circles and black eyes. For a second, somewhere in the back of her mind she realized that she should be afraid, but she couldn't be afraid of Edward. He still wasn't the monster he thought he was, even without the amber to pull her into his human side, he was one of the red-eyed nightmares she'd encountered already.

"But you want me to live knowing that you love another man? You want me to come back to Forks and watch you live happily ever after while I will continue to live alone for the rest of eternity?"

"How could you say that? Of course that's not what I want!"

The conversation was starting to get loud, and people were beginning to stare, Alice reached out and touched both of our arms telling us to be quiet. Edward snatched his arm away faster than she could see, but Bella touched Alice's hand. Held it. She knew that Alice wasn't mad at her; somehow Alice wasn't angry and she didn't understand entirely why, but she wasn't going to question something that she needed to get through the rest of flight.

Instead of looking back up at Edward, Bella took out her phone, quickly texting Charlie and Jacob to meet her at the airport. It probably wasn't a good idea for her to ride back to Forks with Edward and Alice. Somehow things had to work out. She could feel somewhere in her soul that Edward has been in her life for a reason, and she did love him, but it was different with Jacob. It always had been.

Edward didn't speak to either Alice or Bella even after the plane landed. He'd seen a glimpse of Bella going to Jacob from Alice's mind. He'd known that she was getting a lot of visions all at once during his and Bella's argument, but he'd been too angry to listen. Somehow, none of it seemed to matter. As soon as the plane touched the ground, Edward got up and exited the plane, leaving Alice and Bella to get off the plane without him. He considered just turning around and going back to the Volturi, but they weren't going to help him now. So he went back to Forks, where Alice had asked the rest of the family to meet them.

Bella was only slightly surprised when Edward left as quickly as he had. She wasn't sure what he was going to do but she was still worried about him. She tried to watch him go, but he'd gotten through the crowd too quickly, and was gone.

Bella's heart was hammering in her chest, and she knew that Alice could hear it. She looked over at Alice who looked more worried than she'd expected. Bella had only seen her this worried once before, and it wasn't something that she wanted to repeat. The Volturi scared her, and she was already in enough trouble with them wanting her to be a vampire.

As her thoughts went to that she realized what position she'd put Alice in with the Volturi. She had told Aro that Bella would become a vampire… now that would seem like a lie. It hadn't been because Alice had seen that as the future before Edward had made the decision to leave Forks. Now, though, everything was different. There were so many things that had changed the ways that she saw the Cullen family and the boys on the reservation. Alice wasn't going to see the new future that Bella had decided on because that future involved werewolves, and with the evidence that she had when Alice had first come back, Bella was certain that Alice couldn't see a future with them involved.

"I'm so sorry Alice," She started, intending to apologize for putting Alice in that situation.

"I know that you are going to come to your senses and be with him, as I have seen in the past."

Alice didn't look over at her as she walked down the now empty aisle. It was easier to get off the plane now that there were no people. Though Edward had gotten up and moved before any of the humans had gotten up, her and Alice had stayed behind.

"Your visions are based on what people choose, Alice, Edward told me that. Before I was sure that I wanted to be with Edward. I was until he left, even until I heard Jacob, until he had almost kissed me in the kitchen at Charlie's. Alice, I choose to be with Jacob now."

She glanced at Bella's face faster than Bella could see, trying to take in Bella's expression before Bella could tell that she was looking at her.

"We'll see. I can't see your future right now."  
Bella thought she heard Alice say something about the "stupid mutts" again, but being human she couldn't hear it well enough to be sure. Bella came to a stop as they exited the plane, stepping to the side of the long hallway that connected the plane and the airport.

"Don't you see? You can't see my future, because my future is with Jacob."

Alice looked into her eyes, and this time there was just a little anger the Amber changing the color to liquid.

"Do you realize what you have done? You made him love you!"

The accusation was there but it seemed hollow. Like Alice had known all along that there had been something wrong.

"Him loving me never made sense. It still doesn't. I'm not special, I never have been."

The anger died behind those gold and amber eyes that gave Bella the notion that Alice had just been hunting before she'd come to get Bella. Bella still smelled more enticing to vampires than most people did, and there was never any reason for that. Alice must have thought about that before she'd come to Bella to get Edward. Bella had indeed been the only hope for saving Edward, and Alice wasn't going to take any chances when her brother was involved.

"You were special to him, Bella…"

She paused for a second, and then looked away toward the end of the platform where the hallway connected to the airport at the gate. She looked faraway for a second, something Bella had come to associate with her having a vision.

"I'm going to leave you here; your father is there at the gate. You don't need me."

Alice turned to run. Bella knew that she was going to be gone faster than any human could see, but she also knew that Alice would hear her when she said, "I still need all of you. Somehow this will all make sense. I was supposed to be with you for some reason. I know it."

With Alice gone and her mind on seeing her father again, Bella walked down the long hallway. When she got to the end, the happiness that had settled inside her heart vanished. Only her father stood there. She looked around for Jacob, but he wasn't there. Doubt washed through her. She'd been so sure…

She'd have to go and see him when she got back to Forks. With her mind made up, she made herself conjure a smile and place it on her face. Charlie's face was stern, but it softened with relief when he saw her. Bella walked up to him and gave him a hug, which was unusual for her, but she needed to feel someone for even a split second so she could remember that she wasn't dreaming.

The ride back to Charlie's house was mostly silent. It wasn't until they got back within the city limits that Charlie even began to question her.

"What was that, Bella?"

Bella shook her head, she couldn't think about how to explain it to Charlie without making it worse. There were so many things that she couldn't tell him, so many things that weren't her secrets to tell.

"While you were fishing, Alice came. She told me that Edward was hanging on to us even though he broke up with me. I went to tell him that it was over."

Charlie looked over at Bella, not bothering to hide the shock that crossed his face. He studied her face for a couple of seconds, and then glanced at the road again before he turned back toward her. Knowing that they were going to have to talk about this, he pulled into the parking lot of the diner and motioned for her to join him as he got out of the car. She did get out and followed him silently into the diner. She was aware of all the stares, and though she didn't like all the eyes staring at her, this time her mind couldn't focus on that.

Charlie sat down, and she could tell from his expression that he was trying to think of something to say, or of how to say it.

"Bella, I know that you have had a hard time…"

Bella leaned back into the chair, understanding what she needed to do.

"Dad, it isn't like that," she paused trying to think of the right words, "Do you remember when you came into my room when I was having the nightmares? You told me that I couldn't keep waiting for him? You were right. And I knew it. Jacob and I had been spending a lot of time together, and I realized that I wanted him to be a part of my life…"

The words took a second for Charlie to consider, but as the realization dawned on him, something changed about him. It was like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders, like somehow the sadness that had consumed her for so long had been tangible enough for Charlie to carry. Then it was gone, the happiness that had replaced the worry.

"Bella are you sure about Jacob? I know that he has always been there-"

"It's not that, Dad. Well that's part of it, but it's bigger than that. Jacob will never hurt me, that's true. But there has never been anyone that makes me feel the way that Jacob does. I can't help but smile when I am with him, he makes me feel warm inside. But more than all of that, he makes me feel like I am okay just as I am. Not like I'm trying to combat with him for anything. Like we are equals, two parts of the same whole, it may sound silly but Jacob makes me happy."

Charlie just stared at her. Like he'd somehow seen her grow up all at once, like everything that she'd said suddenly made her a woman in his eyes. His eyes misted with tears, "I know that you wanted to see Jacob, but I couldn't get a hold of him."

"I'll find him, I have to."

Apparently her desperate cry for him to listen to her, the hope, crossed from just her mind and into her voice.

"What's the hurry?"

"I haven't told Jake that I love him."

Charlie stood abruptly, even though the waitress had just come to get their order.

"Sorry but we have to go..." he said as he stood up and made his way to front door and out to his car. Somehow, Bella managed to apologize to everyone before she followed him and got into the car.

"I'll drive you there."


	2. Chapter 2

**I couldn't just put one chapter up... **

* * *

When Bella got to Jacob's house, Billy Black, Jacob's father was there; Charlie went directly into the house. Bella didn't bother; she knew that Jacob wasn't there. Though she was sure that there were some wolves there. Whether Billy Black liked it or not he was going to have to keep Charlie in the house for a moment while Bella talked to them. There were some secrets that needed to be kept.

As she neared the entrance, Sam came out to meet her, followed closely by some of the rest of the pack. Emily came from behind her, and it took Bella only a couple of seconds to figure out where she'd come from. Bella had been so focused on finding Jacob that she had thought about the other obstacles there might be.

Bella didn't give Sam a chance to talk first, "I know that there hasn't always been good blood between us, but I have to find Jacob, Sam."

Neither of them missed the pun, but they both decided to ignore it despite the small chuckles there was around them.

"No. Jacob doesn't want to see you."

Bella held her tongue; shouting wouldn't help, even though every part of her was screaming.

"Sam, I understand what you are trying to do, keeping him from feeling more pain, and trust me; I understand that now. But this isn't about the treaty; I have to talk to him."

Emily moved behind her, but Bella didn't budge. Sam's solid stance wavered only slightly.

"You tell me what you want him to know, and I will tell him."

"I'm not stupid, Sam. I know about the mind-reading thing. Quil told me when I first saw one of you change. I know that you know where he is. Please. If you care about Jacob, you will tell him that he has to come and talk to me."

With a quick glance around Sam's face went from high leader, to fill with rage very quickly. Suddenly Bella was glad that Charlie was inside and couldn't hear them. There was way too much that he couldn't know, too much that he didn't understand. It was best that he heard it from his best friend, peacefully and certainly not like this.

"Why? You are just going to hurt him, vampire girl."

Bella's annoyance reached a new level, "I am not a vampire girl!"

Sam had begun to turn around, but there was something about the anger that she'd just shouted with that made him stop. He knew that anger, could hear in her something that he knew very well. With Bella's breathing coming faster, Emily reached his side, "You know what she wants to tell him, don't you?"

As Sam looked at Emily, his expression softened, "I think so."

"Then tell her."

Bella watched helplessly as emotion played across Sam's face. Emily had just told Sam that he should let Bella talk to Jake, but she still wasn't sure that she was going to get the chance. Both Billy Black and Charlie were now behind her and Billy's gaze was like a weight that she couldn't shake.

"Look Sam, I know that there is probably going to be some weirdness between us for a while, but think about it. Why would I be here, if not because I care about you? By all rights, I should be with the Cullen's, but I can't go there, not now. Not while Jake hurts like he does. I can see it in your eyes. He's in pain. Please, I have to talk to him."

"You abandoned him!"

"I did not! I went to save a life of someone that I cared about; I promised I would come back to him. And I meant it."

Bella had never been one to beg, but she wanted to drop to her knees. She understood more about the pack now, and understood that with Sam's permission she could find Jacob. The pack was linked, and she knew that being with Jacob would mean that Sam would know everything about her, that he knew how much Jake loved her, and it only added to her hope.

Sam stepped aside. No change what-so-ever in his facial expression, but he moved. Allowing her space to pass. Bella continued to look at him until he lifted his finger and pointed.

"He went to the cliffs. Be careful!"

He shouted after her as she took off running. Her lungs burned and complained as she made her way but she couldn't stop, she didn't know how long Jacob would be there. For a second she was angry that she was human and slow, but then all thoughts in her brain went silent as she saw him.

His wolf self had always captivated her, but there was something about him now that gave her shivers. She couldn't put her finger on it, but it seemed like she belonged in his world, like she fit in. He was beautiful, in more ways than she could imagine. His massive head turned as he heard her, and his body changed quickly. Then there before her stood a completely unabashed Jake. At first she averted her eyes, but then she was afraid that he would take that as a rejection.

Jake snorted and moved away, running quickly behind something. Bella didn't realize what he was doing until he came out from behind a tree wearing a pair of cut off shorts.

"What do you want, Bella? You have your vampire. Go. I'm fine."

Bella stood there, completely unafraid. As she looked at him, something new filled her; an emotion that didn't have a name, it was like the world had fallen apart and he was the only thing that she could focus on. She knew that he could leave, but she'd never give up loving him. She knew that now, somehow the love that had always been there, but it grew just in seeing him again.

"No, you're not fine. And neither am I."

"Don't tell me…" he started in anger but trailed off as the last of her words got to him, "What? Are you okay?"

"No, I'm not."

His gaze came up sharply, and glanced quickly over her body, looking for blood, for wounds. Bella smiled to herself before she told him, "I went to Italy to save Edward, Jacob. I know that hurt you. But please, listen to me now. I came back here to be with you."

"You're in love with Edward. You told me that."

"I did. I was, well am," when Jacob turned around she panicked, "Wait! That didn't come out right."

She'd reached her arm out, as if she was going to chase but they both knew that she would never be able to catch him if he tried to run. He didn't, he just glared at her hand. He dared her to continue just by standing there then his gaze slid to hers. The walls he'd built around him were still firmly in place, and Bella had no way of knowing if they would ever come down, but she had to try.

"Spit it out, Bella. I really don't have time for this, and Edward is probably worried sick about you," He'd practically spat Edward's name.

Bella dismissed the thought immediately, "I don't care if Edward is worried about me, his feelings don't matter right now."

Jacob eyebrows went up like she was telling a private joke, "Oh yeah, why is that? Come to tell me that I am your best friend and that you need me, again?"

"Well yes, you are my best friend, and I do need you."

"Well you told me, so you can go."

Jacob turned to walk away again.

"Will you please just stop talking, and let me finish? You are so stubborn."

Jacob turned and there seemed to be just a hint of a smile of his face, pulling at his lips.

"Jake, I have known you my whole life. We threw mud-pies, laughed and played in the water together while our Dads were fishing. Every summer that I was here, you and I were inseparable. When I came to forks to live, I didn't think about all of that. I thought only about how much I was going to miss home. That was all that was on my mind. When I saw Edward, something in me changed. I don't regret loving him, in some ways I still love him – I always will. But when he left, even though I hurt, there was something about you that made me feel better. I can't explain it. I won't try. But Jake, you have to know, that I want to be with you."

Tears began to well up in her eyes, she hadn't expected this. She hadn't expected how much she'd hurt him, but she could punish herself later, Jacob needed to know everything.

Jacob shook his head, unready to accept that she was actually there, "What about the Cullens?"

"I will figure that out later."

"What do you mean later?"

"The plane from Italy landed, and I went to your house. I had to come and talk to you; I had to tell you the truth."

"That you are going to go back and be with Edward, I know, Bella. It's okay."

"No, Jacob. That when you asked me to stay, when we were in the kitchen at Charlie's just before the phone-call-"

"That one that you yelled at me for…"

She ignored him and kept talking, "I had never known how much I could love someone."

"What are you saying, Bella?"

Bella could tell that she was going to have to say the words, that Jacob didn't trust in the instincts that were telling him he and Bella belonged together. She'd been ignoring them so long that she didn't realize how long they must have been yelling at him to tell her.

"Jake, I love you."

Jacob didn't move for a whole second. It might have been longer, Bella wasn't sure. She was only sure that somehow, over the course of the conversation, they had gotten a lot closer together. They were within arms distance of each other now, and the air felt warmer, just being around him. A happiness swept through her, even though there was still an uneasiness that lived inside as well, his presence simply soothed her.

Jacob's brown eyes looked straight into hers as if he were looking for a lie, but they both knew that she wasn't that good a lying. His intense gaze made her blush, but she didn't give her ground. She'd never been surer of anything in her entire life.

"Bella, don't do this... If you go back to him…"

His words trailed off, but the meaning behind was conveyed easily. The finely toned muscles underneath the dark skin could only hide his soul from her gaze so much.

"I don't want to be with Edward, Jake. Only you. That's the truth"

Now the tears had spilled out and fell down her cheeks. She didn't bother to wipe them away, but he did. Using one thumb he brushed away the tears that lined her cheeks. The rest of him though, stood far away, as if he couldn't touch her too much without giving in.

"What about the rest of the vampires?"

"I don't know yet, but I can learn to live without them, Jake. Not without you," Bella voice sounded almost as sure as she felt.

"Bella…"

He was losing the anger, and she could hear and see how much he wanted to believe her. Bella knew that somehow she could convince him. So she asked the only thing that she knew he could fully understand and believe. Feelings didn't lie.

"Jake, Kiss me."

She covered his hand on her face with one of hers and looked into his deep brown eyes. She let everything she felt, all her dreams, lay out for him to see; the walls that had been there for so long because of Edward had finally moved for him to see the place that he had in her heart.

Her demand was met faster than she thought, and with a pull of his hand her lips were against his. It should be but it wasn't awkward to be in his arms. It was like home, like she'd belonged here the whole time. His warmth seeped into her as their bodies touched and Bella felt the latch she kept on her passion open. Now, she kissed, really kissed him, her arms moving up around his neck. She continued clinging to the only thing in the world that she could see or feel.

She felt when he let go, when the walls that he had put around his love for her fell away. His arms encircled her, pulled her to him, not bothering to be careful. His lips weren't demanding but they were firm. Jacob's fingers moved into her hair holding her lips to his, kissing her like she'd never known was possible.

She met his lips with unabashed intensity, she never known that it was possible to love someone this much. Then she remembered her control. She abruptly pulled away and Jacob growled lightly.

"I'm sorry," Bella said on reflex, expecting to be lectured about how she shouldn't let her control slip that way.

"Don't ever apologize for kissing me with passion, Bella."

Her heart jumped again as it overloaded with even more love. She wasn't sure that she could contain it all.

He kissed her again, like he couldn't believe that it was true. Bella jumped into his arms, finally realizing why it was so right with Jacob. She would never have to apologize for being who she was, Jacob could and did accept her for exactly who she'd been all along.

This time Jacob pulled away and Bella frowned

"What about the wolf part?"

"You are who you are Jacob. The wolf is part of you; I love all of you, Jake."

"But I'm… dangerous," he said even as his own arms tightened around her.

She laid her head against his chest letting her body fold into the curve of his arms, into the warmth that was Jake. She inhaled his scent, and fearlessly let her hand trail down his skin, he shivered.

"I know, we'll find a way through all of this together… I know there is a way, and we'll find it Jacob. There is way that will make it so that I never have to leave your side."

Jake leaned so that she could see his eyes, giving her the same honesty that she'd given him. She could see it in his eyes, but she didn't have to wait to hear him say it.

"I love you, Bella. I always have. God help me, I always have."

Bella didn't say anything, but she snuggled closer to him delighting in how much like home he felt.

"We should go and tell Charlie."

"He knows."

"Sam?"

"Knows."

"Dad?"

"Knows."

Jacob grinned. "Who didn't you tell?"

"I was pretty focused on you," She admitted; earning her a grin from Jacob.

The smile finally reached his eyes and he kissed the top of her head.

"Bella, you're amazing."

She looked up into his eyes and realized that she would never have to leave home again.

"Only because of you, Jake."

And this time she kissed him, and though his hands held her to him, she knew that they were together, neither more powerful than the other. That somehow she'd found someone who loved every part of her. Jacob's heart swelled with joy, Bella and he were finally going home, together. It was perfect.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys. I am still putting everything on the computer. After this chapter I only have one more that is typed out (though the entire story is written out longhand). I will be updating more slowly in the future, and I am sorry about that... but here's some more of the story. Basically just continuing Bells and Jacob conversation about how to they will work things out. I don't really want to write one of those stories where she says that she loves him and there is never another problem. Love doesn't work that way. **

**Anyway. Here you go. **

**-Blu **

* * *

It wasn't perfect. Sam's face was priceless, Billy's even more so. Charlie just kept grinning, but Bella could only see Emily Young's face. Even though her face was littered with scars that were obliviously from Sam's large paws she still radiated love for him; but more important she looked into Bella's eyes and nodded her approval. Bella smiled back at her; somehow she was sure that no matter what Sam actually thought of her and Jake being together, Emily wouldn't let him split them apart.

When Jake and Bella finally reached the crowd around the garage Bella immediately addressed Emily, "Thank you."

"There are some things that only a woman could tell," Emily's kind voice gave Bella more confidence and got everyone else's attention.

Bella smiled and Jacob glanced at her. Bella just smiled wider.

Then Sam ruined her mood.

"What happens when you imprint on someone else, Jake? You think that Bella will live through that? You want to hurt her?"

This time Jacob got angry… and though she knew that she should step back because he could change, she couldn't. He needed her to be on his side, regardless of the danger. Jacob shook with the intensity of his emotions.

"Bella and I have nothing to do with you and Leah. You think you know every relationship? Are we all just going to wait until we imprint to be happy? What if I was meant to be with Bella?"

Still the anger wasn't gone, Bella couldn't be sure but she knew that he was close to changing with the anger. She should have been afraid, everyone else was for her, but she wasn't. She reached out and grabbed his hand; as soon as her hand touched his, Jacob laced his fingers through hers and he calmed, visibly. Looking at her to relay his thanks, he pressed his forehead against hers.

"You don't know anything about Bella and I…"

Bella had heard everything she needed to hear, and ironically, though Sam thought it would, it didn't change her mind.

"I learned something from Edward, Sam. I learned that you have to let yourself be happy," she looked away from Jacob but still held his hand, "You have to believe that things will work out. I don't know what the future holds, but I know that somehow it will all work out, it has to. All I know for sure is that I love Jacob. And it doesn't matter if I get to spend one day with him, or if I get my whole life because every minute that I spend with him is worth all the pain."

Emily smiled, her face looking beautiful for the first time to Bella; "And that is why I know it will work out, Sam. Bella loves Jacob as if she had imprinted. They'll be happy. That's all that I need to know."

Charlie came forward and both Jacob and Bella stiffened. Bella's other hand came up and grabbed Jake's arm and he squeezed her hand. He'd heard everything.

Bella opened her mouth to explain but Charlie spoke first, "Bella, I already know what Jake is, and so long as you are okay with it, I am. I just don't need to know the details," he paused and looked directly at Jacob, "You were there for her when she needed someone. For that you will always be my son. Jacob, please, protect her."

Billy laughed from behind him. Everyone, even Sam, glanced down at him in his wheelchair as his laughter bubbled from him.

"What dad?"

He laughed for a couple more seconds trying to catch his breathe enough to get the words out. "Charlie sounds like he's handing her off at a wedding…"

No one could hold in their laughter completely but Jacob and Bella. Jacob grinned at his father, "Thanks, Dad."

"You know, I am just keeping it real, son."

"Yeah, you're good at that, Billy," Charlie laughed.

Jacob pulled on Bella's hand, "We're going to go for a walk…"

He phrased it like a fact, but he looked to her for confirmation anyway. Jacob had never decided anything for her, he'd always asked her to be careful and gave her what he thought was best. Only when her life was in danger did he ever tell her what to do. He and Bella walked away together without looking back and left the laughing crowd behind as they made their way toward the water.

"Now the only question I have, Sam, is what are we going to do about the Cullen's?"

Billy turned his wheelchair around, and Charlie immediately went to push him back toward the house. As soon as they were out of hearing range Sam answered the question, "Honestly, I think we are going to have bigger problems on our hands than having to deal with what the Cullens think about Bella's relationship status …"

Emily looked into his eyes, but no one but she could discern what it was that was going on in his head. Sam watched Jacob and Bella leave and everything in him said that they were going to big problems.

Bella and Jacob walked hand-in-hand to La Push Beach. Bella had come here because it was the first time that she'd been alone with Jake, and Jake had come with because it was still on the reservation. She knew there were going to be some hard questions in the future but those questions had to have answers. It didn't make sense if they didn't. There weren't many words between them, but there didn't need to be, they both had to let their minds catch up to their hearts first.

Jake was the first to speak when they sat down on the rocks, "What about the imprinting thing? What happens if I do imprint on someone else?"

Bella looked up, but Jacob wasn't looking at her. He was afraid, ashamed somehow. She wasn't quite sure why it bothered her that he was shy about the subject, but it did.

"Jake, I don't care about that. We'll have time together and that's enough for me. I know what it's like to want to love forever, and it's wonderful to be that secure, but sometimes that love isn't complete. This is."

Jake smiled one of his smiles. It lit up her heart.

"I wish I could've imprinted on you, the moment that I saw you after I changed. I wish it was that easy."

"Nothing about our relationship has ever been easy, Jake."

He tilted his head at her, a movement that reminded her slightly of the animal part of him.

"I mean, we were together as kids, then we were split by distance, and then by picking sides…"

"Bella, are you sure?"

"You aren't going to believe me, are you?"

"What if Edward comes back, Bella? If he comes and asks you to go with him… What if he tells you that he'll die if you don't go back to him, what then?"

Bella took a deep breath; thinking about that situation hurt her deeply. She didn't want anything to happen to Edward but her love for Edward was completely different than her love for Jacob. They were two different people and two separate kinds of love. She loved Edward, and he would forever live in her heart, but it wasn't the same as Jacob's warmth. Edward was new and exciting, but Jacob was a pulsing rightness. Around him the whole world was blurred and he was the only thing that she could focus clearly on. She saw him, and he saw her, and for some reason that was all that mattered.

"Jake, I…"

Jake shook his head… "No, don't answer, Bella… I shouldn't ask that of you. I know how it hurts you when people you care about are in pain. I know that it hurt you to tell him in the first place; you had the courage to come to me, to face my problems, I will do you right by having the courage to face yours."

"Jake…"

Bella wasn't aware that she'd gotten that close to him until she was inches from his lips, until she could smell the scent that was purely Jacob. Her eyes closed, and the same feeling she'd had in Charlie's kitchen returned. He leaned in, slowly, and pressed his full lips against hers. Her body reacted faster than fire and she opened to him, offering him everything that she was. He didn't rush, but he explored her, and she explored him. His hands made trails of goose bumps across her skin, until finally Bella couldn't take the distance.

She moved from her rock, ignoring his questioning and sat with one leg on either side of his lap. His brown eyes lit with a heated desire that she'd never seen cross through Edward's features. He waited, patiently, while her hands played with his hair, slid down his shoulders, and slid down his back. He didn't move, aside from closing his eyes, until she returned to his lips. Even then his hands were hesitant, like he was questioning whether she really wanted this. She did, she wanted more. The burning wasn't from his skin anymore, it was from somewhere deep within her, and the feeling was entirely foreign so it took her by surprise.

She leaned against him, pushing her body clean against him, his arm went around her body finally, while his head angled up to deepen their kiss. His warm hands splayed out over her shirt which wrinkled beneath them. He pulled on the edge of her shirt but didn't pull it off, knowing that was too far. Instead he put his hand just under her shirt, tracing lightly over skin.

The kiss broke but neither of them let go, "Bella…"

Then he slowly pulled Bella away a fraction of an inch, resting their foreheads together, with both of them breathing much too fast.

Though he was only sixteen, the change into a wolf had changed his body, even his maturity. In his eyes he was older than her. His body's changes had given him the excuse to grow up, and he had. Beyond his years. He sat before her looking at her with an intensity that made her blush.

"I love it when you do that…"

He went to stroke her face, but she swatted his hand away, "What about the whole me being human part…I know you guys don't age until you stop phasing…"

"Another reason I wish I had imprinted, if I was imprinted you would not age any further than me, ever. Right now though my body has stopped aging at about 21. I'm younger in some ways, older in others. Does age bother you, Bella?"

"Only because I will get older and look less appealing to you."

Jake smiled one of his Jake smiles and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before he pulled away completely and sat on another rock.

"Why are you all the way over there?"

Jake grinned, "Because if I wasn't I wouldn't be able to keep my hands off you, I may good with self control, but I'm not that good."

They both grinned. Bella's next words surprised even her, "But I want you to touch me."

Jake's eyes were still heavy with desire, his voice still lined with the husky quality that reminded her of how close they had been. His russet skin erupted in goose bumps, and he shivered. Quickly he closed his eyes and ran a hand through his hair.

"Bells, we came here to talk, remember?"

Bella smiled, "You right, I know… I just, I hate being cold."

This time Jake didn't argue, he simply went to her and let her cuddle into his arms, she leaned against his large frame with one of his big arms draped over her shoulders. Bella closed her eyes as his warmth engulfed her again. She remembered how often she'd wished that Edward was warm, because so often he'd refused to touch her so that she didn't catch chill. This was more right, more natural, and the more time she spent with Jacob the more she liked being in his arms; the more she wondered why it had taken her so long to see how much she'd always loved him.

"We'll figure it out. I mean, we're here, and we stood up to Sam, and who knows with you… you never really do what people expect."

Neither talked for a moment, unwilling to let go of the comfort each other's presence brought. Jacob was the first to break the silence again.

"Bella, I know things will never be normal between us, and I don't think I want me to be, but somehow I will find a way to be with you. I'm not going to lose you."

Her arms moved around him to hug his body to hers, and she stayed that way, until she fell asleep in his arms. She'd had a long day, and she needed her rest.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys. Good news? I am sending you this chapter. Bad news, it is going too take me a while for the next one... **

**I think that it is important to see the reactions of everyone and how Bella and Jacob deal with what people think. I don't think it would be easy for everyone to just accept that they are going to be together. That's what Emily is for. Besides, some people have to think about more than just one person's happiness. **

**Let me know what you think. **

* * *

Jacob carried her back to his house, and Charlie was still there waiting for Bella and him even though the rest of the pack had left. When Jacob came through the door both Billy and Charlie looked up but when they saw Bella asleep neither of them said anything. Jacob motioned to the other room and both men nodded, when he laid Bella down on his bed, Jake returned to the kitchen where his father and Charlie sat.

"Sam said that he wants to talk to you, something about Bella."

It sounded innocent enough, but Jacob knew that tone. It was the I'm trying not to disapprove' tone.

"Dad, just tell me whether or not you think she and I should be together."

"Honestly, son, I'm not a fool. I have seen the way that you look at her, and I understand what it is like…"

Before Jake could get a word in Charlie piped up, "As much I think that I should stay out of pack business, Bella is my daughter, Billy. If I didn't think that she was completely in love with Jacob than I would never have brought her here. Now I know that Jake is only sixteen but with the whole pack thing, it's different and I know that. I know that there will be complications, but I also know love when I see it. They really do love each other, Billy."

"Charlie, it isn't that simple. Jake has responsibilities to the tribe, he is supposed to become the alpha of the pack; his life is more complicated than you know."

Charlie shook his head. He saw the complications, but he'd also known his daughter. He'd seen how willing she was to stand behind someone she loved. And he knew that Jacob was the same in steadfastness. IF any two could make it work, it was them. But he also saw something in them that reminded him about how it felt to love, and how it felt to be left behind.

"But does that mean that he can't be happy? You've seen it, encouraged it for a long time. You can't tell me that you don't see how happy Bella makes Jake."

Jacob finally butted in, "Dad, it's always been her. No other girl has ever been in my heart, and that would scare most people, but somehow it seems like no one exists but her. I don't have the same dramatic memory of every line in my life being severed like some of the other guys do, but I know somewhere deep inside, that I belong with her."

"What about the vampires, Jacob? Have you thought about that?"

Jacob sighed. Somehow his relationship with Bella was always dependent on the supernatural, "The path that Bella and I have chosen won't be easy, and I know that, Dad. But I'm not going to force her to let go of her friends, whatever we decide I will stand by her, and we will walk this path together. She has chosen to stand by me and I chose to stand by her."

Unbeknownst to Jake, Bella had awoken and had stood in the doorway of the into the doorway of the kitchen, hearing his words. When he noticed that Charlie and Billy were no longer looking at him he turned around in his chair and saw her. On her face was the biggest smile that he'd ever seen in his entire life, it lit her face and the pale and sad Bella that had been there for so long was gone. Now it was her perfectly framed face, her long brown hair, and gorgeous rosy colored skin once again. Without him realizing it a small smile spread across his face and he held his hand out to her.

As she walked to him she said, "Billy, I understand that I have hurt Jacob and you in the past while I was with Edward, but I know myself better because of Edward," she paused for a deep breath, "I know what kind of love I want, what kind of man I want to love, and what it means to love. This is love, and it doesn't have to last forever, but I won't let it go. I'm with Jake, all the way."

Charlie grinned, more proud of his daughter than he'd ever been in his entire life but Bella ignored him and whispered to Jake, "Thank you…"

Jake immediately answered, "For what?"

"For walking with me, and not leading me…"

Jake smiled and brushed her hair to tuck it behind her ear. When they looked up both of their parents were staring at them, both with completely different expressions. Charlie's face was the proud and loving father. Billy's face was aghast, and speculative.

"If you love her so much, Jake, marry her."

At first everyone thought that he was joking; everyone laughed, except him. When they sobered, Jake couldn't believe the seriousness on his father's features.

"What?" Jake said, "You can't be serious…"

"I am,' countered Billy, "If you think that you are meant to be, then marrying each other isn't that big a commitment."

To her credit Bella didn't flinch, but Jake did. Not that he didn't want to marry her, he did. He wanted to marry her when it wasn't something pushing them together; he wanted to marry her when it was just the two of them choosing the path ahead of them and facing their love together. This wasn't that time.

Charlie was the first to break the silence that followed, "From what I know about the whole wolf thing is that Jake might not have the choice in imprinting, right?"

He waited only for their nods before he continued, "So, marrying my daughter would only make it harder if he were to imprint on someone else later…"

Bella flinched, but only slightly. Enough for Jake to feel her move. He found her hand with his and squeezed, letting her know that they were together. Giving her the only comfort he could against that harsh reality. He wouldn't lie to her, but he knew that he wanted to be right here, with her.

Billy turned to Charlie, the anger completely gone, "So you know that this relationship may end but you are going to let them be together when they could both hurt because of it?"

Charlie took a deep breath and Bella saw the pain in his eyes, "I loved once, Billy, same as you. I loved her with everything that I had, and she loved me too. But one day the love wasn't what it once was. Yet, even through all that, if I would have known in the beginning that it would end, it was still worth loving her. I would still have loved her, and I would never take away the happiness that I had with Renee from my daughter and Jake. I think that these two are wiser than us, they see that truth now when we couldn't see it then."

Billy sat back in his chair, his face completely pensive. Bella got up and crossed the room so she could hug her father. They embraced only for a moment, neither of them much liked showing too much emotion and Bella was wearing thin.

"Thank you, Dad," Bella said lightly when she pulled away. It was the first time in her life that she'd called him Dad because she wanted to, and she had a feeling that Charlie knew it…

Then Charlie grinned, "Yeah, but you have to tell your mother."

Bella smiled and winced at the same time, but returned to Jacob.

"Dad," Jacob voice brought Billy back from his thinking, "I know that it doesn't seem like a smart idea, and believe me, I know that loving Bella would never be easy," he turned to face her, "But I also know that her stubborn will is part of why I love her… She's part of me, Dad, that won't change."

Bella looked to Billy with tears in her eyes once more, "I would marry your son, if that's the only way that I could have him. But I would rather our marriage, if it comes to that, be on our terms, and for the right reasons. I love him, Billy. He is my friend, love, and center.

Jake glanced at her then leaned his forehead against hers. Bella held has face lightly in her hands, kissed him lightly and then sat on one of his legs. Jacob arms went immediately around her. The position wasn't sexual at all, it was loving. Right then, Billy's expression broke, like seeing them like that was what convinced him, not any of the words.

Billy looked at Jake, "If you are going to love her son, love her with all your heart."

His smile was sad, "You never know when you could lose her…"

Suddenly Jacob understood, but he also knew his father. So he didn't get up to hug him instead he said, "I will, Dad. I love you, too."

Jacob needed to make sure that everything was okay with him and Sam, and Bella needed to make sure that everything was okay with the Cullen's. She told Jake about her plans to go the Cullen's house; and he expressed his bad feelings about the matter. It was the first argument that either of them had ever really had in a relationship, and it startled both of them. He told her that she shouldn't go; she told him that she had to tell the Cullen family why, and he gave in. He was never the one to tell her that she wasn't allowed to do something, and that was why she loved him most. He mentioned that he was going to Sam's and that it would probably take about an hour. He also mentioned that if anything happened to hurt her while she was there; he would personally tear them to pieces.

Bella could only smile at him. "i expected nothing less. Love you."

She gave him a light kiss on the lips and set on her way. Jake watched her go before he went into the woods, phased, and took off in the direction of Sam.

Going to see Edward was something that Bella both looked forward to and dreaded. She knew that he could see her coming to his house as an omission in defeat, that she might be coming back to him, but she was still sure that she'd made the right decision. Even with all the questions about what their future held, Jacob and Bella could be happy just being themselves The relationship that Bella and Edward had been in had forced them to try to be something that they weren't, forcing them to change things about themselves that could never be undone. It wasn't that she didn't love him, she always would. But loving someone and being in love with them was completely different; Bella knew for certain that Edward could be happier, and that someday his love would change and they could be friends once more.


End file.
